Ed Sheeran’s New Single Rockets To No. 1

Ed Sheeran’s “A Little More” debuts at No. 1 on U.K. iTunes and No. 3 in the U.S., giving the star another win just weeks before releasing his new album Play. Los Angeles, CA – February 04: Ed Sheeran arrives on the Red Carpet at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

In just over a month, Ed Sheeran will release his new album Play. The set marks his return to the kind of polished, radio-ready pop that first made him a global superstar, and he’s been building anticipation for the project for months. With only weeks left before the drop, the Grammy winner has shared a new single that bolted right to the top of the sales charts.

“A Little More” Hits No. 1

On Thursday (August 7), just ahead of the beginning of a new tracking week, Sheeran unveiled “A Little More,” the fourth official single from Play. The track quickly became a bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic, rising to No. 1 on the iTunes Top Songs chart in the U.K. and reaching No. 3 in the U.S.

“A Little More” Trails Only Deftones in America

In America, “A Little More” earns the second-highest debut of the new tracking period. Sheeran comes in behind only “Milk of the Madonna” by Deftones, which starts at No. 1. Several other just-shared cuts, including those from Rob Thomas and Josiah Queen, among others, which also soar straight into the highest tier on the sales tally.

Ed Sheeran’s Other Play Singles

In the U.K., where Sheeran remains one of the most successful acts of all time, the release of “A Little More” has also pushed sales of his earlier Play singles north. Recent tracks “Sapphire,” “Azizam,” and “Old Phone” are all rising on iTunes from where they sat just hours before the new tune dropped.

Of those three, “Azizam” continues to stand out as the biggest, as it peaked at No. 3 on the Official Singles chart. “Sapphire” reached as high as No. 5, while “Old Phone” became a rare underperformer for Sheeran, topping out at No. 17 and missing the top 10 entirely.

“Drive” Joined Ed Sheeran’s 2025 Output

Even while focusing on promoting Play, Sheeran also found time to share music not included on the album’s tracklist. “Drive,” recorded for the Brad Pitt film F1 and its soundtrack, arrived earlier this year.

“Drive” failed to make a major impact commercially in the U.K., where it drove to No. 49 and missed the top 40. It also didn’t reach the Hot 100 in the U.S., where “Azizam” is still the only Play single to crack the top 40 so far.